HZ3TYQ/8Z4 1965 Saudi Arabia / Iraq Neutral Zone

The operator on this DXpedition was Vic Crawford W1TYQ:
I'm sorry to report that Vic Crawford - W1TYQ passed away on November 8, 2014 at age 94 in Michigan. Vic's friend for decades Ned - W1RAN provided me with some of the "high points" of Vic's long ham radio career. Vic was well known as
HZ3TYQ in Saudi Arabia (1963 - 1976) and made two DXpeditions each into the Saudi Arabia / Iraqi Neutral Zone HZ3TYQ/8Z4, HZ3TYQ/8Z4, and Kuwait / Saudi Arabia Neutral Zones, HZ3TYQ/8Z5, 9K2TL/NZ. The operation from the Kuwait / Saudi Arabia Neutral Zone as 9K3TL/NZ was with Jack Laub - HB9TL, Roy Fleming - MP4BBD, L.M. "Rundy" Rundlett - W3ZA / K4ZA / OD5CT, and G3OFI in 1961. Vic retired to Torch Lake, Michigan as W1TYQ/8 with particular interest in 80 meters, where he proceeded to rack up almost 300 countries.

A personal observation or two. Vic also operated a good deal from HZ1AB, back in the "Hot Ziggety One American Boy" heyday. Vic was known world-wide for his impeccable CW and top notch operating. I will always remember June 29, 1962, when as a 16 year old with a "rag tag" station in Upper Michigan, I worked Vic from HZ1AB. I know I'm not alone in sharing lifelong respect for Vic, both as a top notch operator, and a world class guy. We have lost one more from America's Greatest Generation. You just can't replace guys like Vic.
73, Don Karvonen - K8MFO

 

Notice that this letter gives permission to operate in the Neutral Zone along the Saudi-Iraqi border.
However the assigned callsign was HZ3TYQ/8Z5 and not 8Z4.
They must have corrected that afterwards.

QSL from the estate of W3WGH / W3GH
Info courtesy of K8MFO
Letters from the estate of W1TYQ